Welcome to Vegas!
by soccerdefender130
Summary: Clare made some bad mistakes back home and found herself in a bar in Vegas. She meets Eli, the bartender. Read it, I'm not very good with summaries!
1. Chapter 1

Clare's POV

"Ugh." I huffed as I sat down at a bar. I buried my face in my hands, being consumed in shame. _How did I let this happen to me? Here I was, sitting at a random bar in Vegas, I don't even know why I'm here! I mean I brought clothes, thinking I could just travel the States, but..._

" What can I get you Miss?" I bartender asked me, interrupting my thoughts.

" Just surprise me." I said pulling my face from my hands, looking up at him. The first thing I noticed were his piercing green eyes. He smirked and turned around to get my drink.

" Here you are…" he said handing me my drink.

" Thanks." I said taking a sip.

" This is really good, what is it?" I asked after I had drank half of the glass.

" Margarita in Paradise, it the house special." He responded, wiping down the clear counter top.

I looked around. I was the only one here. Wow.

" Um, do I need to leave? Are you guys closing?" My voice was laced with concern.

" Nah, your fine, you still have about ten minutes. So if I may ask, what brings you here?" His eyes pierced through mine.

" I made some mistakes a while ago that blew up in my face recently." I said.

" That sounds familiar to me. By, the way, my name is Eli." He extended his hand.

" Clare." I shook his hand. His huge had engulfed mine.

" Well Clare," Eli said as he gathered some things from behind the counter, " it is closing time." He said as he took my empty glass and placed it in the sink. I stood up and grabbed my purse off of the side of the chair. Eli was holding the door open for me. I thanked him and walked outside into the warm night air. I started to walk down the street, not knowing where I was going. I made it only a couple steps down the street when I heard Eli call out.

" You know its not very safe to walk these streets at night." I stopped in my tracks and turned around to face him. I smiled.

" Come on, get in." He stood holding the passenger door open. I figured why not, he seemed like a nice guy. I usually wouldn't do this, but now I was feeling bold.

I walked over to the car and slid into the seat. He closed the door and jogged over and jumped into his seat. He had a nice car, I had to admit.

" So Clare, where are you staying?" He asked a few minutes after silence.

" Um… i don't know." I scratched my head, realized I was screwed.

He chuckled. He looked at me like I was crazy.

" So you came to Vegas, not knowing where you were going and not knowing where you were going to stay? Do you have someone that you know around here that you could stay with?"

I shook my head.

" Well I know that we barely know each other but would you like to come and stay with me till you figure things out? Eli was being really sweet.

" Sure but I have just one question; you aren't going to drug me or hurt me are you?" I smiled.

" No, I wouldn't do that to a pretty woman." He said as we rounded a corner in the nearly empty streets.

I felt a deep blush creep onto my cheeks.

" Tell me about yourself." I said sternly.

" Well my name is Eli Goldsworthy, I live here in Vegas, I am a bartender, I am 23 years old, and um I think those are just the basics. Now its your turn." He turned to look at me.

" My name is Clare Edwards, um I am from Canada, I have no clue what I am doing here, and I'm 22. I think I covered everything." I said just as we pulled into a parking lot of an apartment complex.

"Here we are." He opened a wooden door with the numbers 482 on the top. I walked into the dark room and heard the door shut. A flick of a switch and lights lit up all over the apartment. It was a big apartment! There was even a decent sized balcony.

" Hey, do you need anything to drink? Eat? Anything?" Eli asked me.

" Nope, thank you. Do you have a blanket for me so I can sleep on the couch?" I set my small duffel bag down on the floor along with my purse.

" I have another room that my friend used to stay in if you would like that better than the couch?" He rubbed the back of his neck.

" I guess the room is fine." I picked up my things and he showed me to a decent sized room with a queen bed in the middle with a bed side table, a dresser, and a small t.v.

" Well here you are."

" Eli, thank you for letting me stay here." I gave him a hug. It didn't mean anything; just a friendly hug. I felt his arms wrap around me. He felt safe.

" Its no problem." We pulled apart and he smiled at me. He headed towards the door and turned around.

" Good night Clare." I saw him smile at me for one last time before the door closed. I ran towards the door.

" Oh Eli? Where is the bathroom?" I giggled.

" Down the hall and to the right." He smiled. I smiled back as a thank you and watched him disappear from my sight. I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth. I changed into a pair of flannel shorts and a tank top. I wrapped the warm bed spread around me and drifted into a deep sleep.

**So there you guys go! Tell me if you want me to continue this, I wasn't to sure about this chapter! Don't forget to review!**


	2. Tell Me More

**Thank you guys so much for the awesome reviews! Here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**

Clare's POV

The bright sun light beamed into my room. I rubbed my eyes, blinking slowly. I sat up and looked around. For a split second, I forgot where I was and why I was there. But then I remembered everything about yesterday. I slowly got out of bed. I walked into the living room.

"Good morning." Eli said, scaring me a little.

" Good morning to you too."

" Okay, since I don't have to work today, we are going to spend this time to get to know each other." He stated. I raised and eye brow and smiled. I walked over and sat on the opposite side of the couch from Eli. I crossed my legs and folded my hands. He chuckled at me.

" Ok, so for starters; why are you here? Not to make it sound mean…" He asked. I huffed.

" Well, the biggest reason was that my parents left me with nothing; they kicked me out and told me to go live with my boyfriend, well now ex-boyfriend." I stopped to catch my breath. Eli's eyes were filled with sincerity, like he really cared about me and what had happened to me.

" And the second reason was my boyfriend. After the thing with my parents went down, I went over to his place, and he was making out on the couch with some woman who he apparently worked with. I ran out in tears. I felt like it was time for me to leave everything so I went home and packed some clothes and all the money I had. I took a bus to the airport and bought a one-way ticket to Vegas. I wasn't really sure where I was going to stay and what I was going to do. I have to find a job so I can get my own place down here and also so I'm not intruding your life." I looked down at my hands, fiddling with my thumbs.

" Clare," Eli said to get my attention. My eyes locked with his.

" You aren't intruding, you can stay for as long as you want. And job wise, the bar I work at is hiring if you would be interested in that. I can put in a good word for you." He flashed me a smile.

" You don't have a girlfriend do you? I don't want to cause problems by being here." I felt funny asking him.

He laughed a little.

" No don't worry, I don't have a girlfriend." He smirked and I blushed

" Okay, okay, enough about me. How did you make down here to Vegas?" I asked, trying to change the subject. Eli stood up off the couch and went into the kitchen.

" When I was little, my parents moved us around a lot. We lived in Texas for only about a year, then we moved to Washington and that is where I grew up. Then my senior year, we moved here and I went off to college and just never bothered to move." He said, bringing back two cups of coffee. He also brought back a little cup of milk and some sugar. I added some sugar and stirred it up. And let me tell you, it was really good coffee.

" Well, Miss. Edwards, would who like to go to the bar and apply for a job?" It was about 10 o'clock on a Monday morning.

" I'm kind of hungry. Would you like to go get some breakfast with me first? My treat?" I said, finishing my coffee.

" Sure why not." He said, standing and holding out his hand to help me up. I took it and popped up, my face came close to his. Our breaths mingled. His eyes looked right into mine. I just smiled nervously and stepped back, going to get changed in my room. I shut the door and let out a deep breath. I think I was slowly falling for a man that I barely knew. I walked over to my bag and pulled out a pair of dark skinny jeans and a white loose tank top. I redid my messy hair and put on some light eye liner and a little bit of mascara and lip gloss. I found a pair of cheap Walmart flip flops and went to meet Eli by the front door. Just a few minutes later, Eli came out in a pair of grey skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a black vest.

" Ready to go?" I asked him, grabbing my purse. He nodded and held the door open for me. We walked down to his car and drove out of the parking lot.

" So where is a good place to eat around here?" I asked.

" There is a place called Egg Works which is really good." He said. I giggled.

" What?" He asked and smiled at me.

" That is just a funny name of a restaurant. Lets go there."

When we got there, we walked in and a nice lady sat us at a table and we both ordered orange juice. We looked over the menus. The lady came back with our drinks. Eli ordered a Western omelet and I got blueberry pancakes. After we were done eating, the waitress brought the check. I reached for it, but so did Eli.

" Eli, come on, you let me stay in your apartment and you don't even make me pay rent. You welcomed me without even knowing me, the least I could do is pay for breakfast." I gave him puppy dog eyes. I really wanted to pay for this.

" Fine, but I'm paying next time." He said as I walked up to the register to pay. We left the restaurant. We hopped into his car and drove away.

" So do you still want to apply for the job at the bar?" Eli asked me when we were stopped at a red light.

" Yes, I need to start paying you rent." I felt bad that I was just living there for free.

" No you don't Clare. Just having you around is enough." He said and I blushed a deep red.

" Okay, so off to the bar?" I asked. He nodded and we drove in the direction of the bar.

**So there you guys go! If you guys have any questions about the story just let me know :) Review!**


	3. Job Interview

**Woah 2 updates in 1 day! :D So here is the next chapter! Enjoy!**

Clare's POV

When we arrived at the bar, it was packed. And it was only 12 o'clock in the afternoon. People were shoulder to shoulder. Eli grabbed my hand, and led me through the sea of people. His touch sent shivers up my arms. He led me to a closed door and knocked three times. A mans voice yelled for us to come in. There was a man with light blonde hair sitting with his back to us.

" Hey John." Eli said to the man, who turned around. When he saw Eli, he smiled and stood up and shook his hands.

" Who is this?" He looked towards me.

" Hi, I'm Clare, a friend of Eli's." I shook his hand. He looked like he was in his mid-forties.

" We came by today to talk to you about Clare getting a job here." Eli said when we both sat down in the chairs that were set up in the office.

" Well Clare, have you had any job experience?" John asked me, folding his hands.

" I worked at a restaurant all through high school and college." I answered honestly.

" Okay well welcome to the staff." John smiled.

" That's it? You aren't going to ask any more questions?" I asked, dumbfounded.

" Nope. Eli is my best bartender so you can shadow him for a little bit before you get the hang of things." He looked at Eli. Eli smirked.

" So I'm going to be bar-tending?" I was still shocked he didn't make me fill out an application.

" Yes. I'm going to give you the same hours as Eli and you will make $8.25 an hour plus the tips you make. Any questions?" John asked. I shook my head. I was prepared to ask Eli a lot of questions on the way home.

" Alright then, let me go get your uniform from the back. Be right back." He opened the door to the swarm of people, then disappeared. I sighed and leaned back in the chair.

" Its a lot to take in, I know. He did the same thing with me." Eli said, looking over at me. Just then, John came back with a pair of black jeans and a bright blue shirt. It had palms trees and other tropical things on it.

" Thats the uniform, but you need a pair of either plain black or white tennis shoes."

" Okay. Thank you again." Eli and I stood up. I smiled at John. He shook both of our hands and we left.

" So when is our first shift together?" I asked Eli when we arrived back at his apartment.

" Today is Monday, so tomorrow night, starting at 10:00 pm and then ends at 4:00 am." My eyes got wide at the hours.

" I know, but trust me, you will get used to it." He gave me a reassuring smile. I looked at the clock and it was already 5:00.

" Hey Blue?" Eli called.

" What? Who is Blue?"

" You, your eyes are blue so therefore your nickname is now Blue." He smirked. I had to admit I liked it.

" Okay." I gave him a smirk of my own.

" You eat meat right?" He asked.

" Yes." I giggled.

" Okay because dinner tonight revolves around meat."

" Really, what are you making?" I walked into the kitchen and hopped up on the counter, watching him pull ingredients from his pantry and fridge.

" Pasta with chicken and bacon. Trust me its good." He winked at me. I was defiantly developing feelings for him. I turned my head away, not wanting him to see the noticeable blush burning on my cheeks.

After a while, I felt the need to ask Eli if he needed any help.

" Nope, as a matter of fact, it's almost done." I jumped of the counter and looked for his silverware.

" What are you looking for?" He laughed.

" Forks and knives so I can set the table." Ah ha, I found them. I pulled out two forks and two knives. He tried to stop me but I moved out of the way, sticking my tongue out at him playfully. He returned it. I finished setting the table just as Eli brought out two plates. We ate and made small talk. We talked about our families and friends. I don't think I was really ready to tell him about my ex. The true story. The pasta was really good. Eli and I argued for a couple minutes because I wanted to do the dishes. He finally gave in. I hand washed the dishes and Eli took a shower. He came out in a black wife beater and long plaid pants. I had to distract myself from looking at him. I scurried into the bathroom and took a long shower, letting the warm water run over my pale skin. I threw on a long pair of black pajama pants and a t-shirt. I stepped out into the living room to find Eli on the couch, watching television. I sat down next to him.

" What are you watching?" I sat crossed legged on the couch.

" I honestly have no clue." He looked down at me and smiled. He scooted closer to me, as did I. I hesitantly leaned my head on his shoulder. He didn't seam to mind because his arm wrapped my shoulder. For the first time in a while, I felt safe. Eli set off this feeling that when you were with him, everything would be okay. We sat like this for quiet a while, no saying a word, just enjoying each others company. I yawned and so did Eli. I lifted my head from his shoulder and he released his grip on my shoulder. We stood up, face to face. Eli wrapped his arms around me. I returned the hug and rested my head against his chest. I felt his lips place a small kiss on my forehead.

" Good night Blue." He released me and smiled before he walked off to his room. I walked really slow, still taking in what just happen. I mean, we barely know each other. But now it is pretty hard to hide my feelings.

**I hope you guys liked it! This was kinda a filler chapter, but I promise the next chapter will be better :) Review!**


	4. Bartending Newbie

Clare's POV

I woke up the next morning in a pretty good mood. I wiped out of bed, fixing my hair. My feet we cold so I pulled out some socks of mine from one of the drawers. When I came into the kitchen, I read the clock and it said 3 o'clock noon. I was kind of shocked; I never sleep in this late. I noticed that Eli wasn't up yet as I walked over to make some coffee. I sat on the counter, waiting. The coffee didn't take that long to brew. I stood there and poured the coffee when I felt a pair arms wrap lightly around my waist. I jumped just a little, only letting a couple drops of coffee hit the counter top.

" Gosh, you scared me." I turned around to face Eli, who had a big smirk on his face. He released his grip and grabbed himself a mug. He poured coffee as I wiped up my mess.

" So Blue, what would you like to do before we have to leave for work?" He asked, sipping on his coffee. I thought for a minute.

" Lets just stay in and watch t.v or a movie." I said.

" Or we could go over some of the drinks we make at the bar?" Eli raised an eye brow. That would probably be the best.

" Okay, sure." I smiled at him and he smiled back. Eli pulled a bunch of alcohol from a cabinet. We went over different mixes and how much to put in this mix and that mix etc… By the time we had finished going over everything Eli could think of, it was about 7 o'clock. I helped Eli clean up. I grabbed a bottle and turned around only to bump into him. As soon as I did, he grabbed my hips to steady me. I didn't move and neither did he. I looked up at him and nervously smiled. My eyes connected with his. I could already feel a blush coming on. I looked back at him and he was smirking. He let go of my hips and grabbed the last bottle. He was still smirking. I scurried to my room and shut the door. And locked it. I ran and jumped onto my bed, covering my face in the pillows. I felt so embarrassed. He probably didn't have feelings for me. After about an hour, I removed my face from the pillows and got ready for my first day on the job. I grabbed the black jeans and slipped those on. Then I took the bright blue shirt. The shirt hugged my curves perfectly. I grabbed a pair of socks and took my white Rebok sneakers. Then I went into the bathroom and redid my hair. I applied some eye liner and a little bit of mascara. I slipped in a pair of small hoop earrings. I was ready for my first night on the job. I went into the kitchen to grab something to eat before we left. Eli had a bowl of apple sitting on the counter. I leaned up against the counter and munched on the apple.

" Clare?" I heard Eli call from his bedroom.

" Yea?" I yelled with a mouth full of apple.

" Are you ready for your first shift?" He said as he came walking from his room, dressed in his uniform.

" Yup." I popped my lips and smiled. He grabbed an apple also and took a giant bite.

" Lets get going Blue." He said as he held the front door open for me.

When we got to the bar, there was a good amount of people there. Some people were dancing, some chatting, some at the bar. Eli opened the little gate leading behind the bar. I sat on the other side.

" Alright Blue, just watch me for a little bit then you can try, okay?" He smiled at me. I nodded and watched him make the first drink. It didn't look that hard, but I wondered how he knew how much of each kind of alcohol to mix in.

" Clare, I will be right back, we are out of limes." He said as he walked through swinging doors. I stood there, looking at the remaining people.

" Hey babe" This really creepy guy asked me right after Eli left.

" Um excuse me?." I was creeped out.

" How about we go back to my place." He quickly raised his eye brows.

" How about we don't."

" Come on baby, don't be harsh."

" Well then don't be creepy." I simply said. He started to scoot closer to me. He went to put his hand on my thigh.

" Don't you dare touch me!" I said, maybe a little too loud. Just then, Eli came back with a huge bag of limes.

" Whats going on here?" He asked. He was looking straight at the man next to me.

" Oh nothing, my baby and I were just leaving." He stood up, looking at me.

" First of all, I don't think she is your ' baby '. Don't you have something better to do then to scare this woman to death? What is wrong with you? Get out of here!" Eli's voice was stern. The man huffed and left. Right as he opened the door, he mouth call me and winked. God, what a creep.

" You okay? He didn't touch you or anything did he?" Eli asked, concerned.

" Yea I'm fine. Thank you for scaring him away." I went around the other side of the bar to hug him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaning my head against his chest. He also wrapped his arms around me.

Before we knew it, was 2 o'clock in the morning and no one was here.

" Is this place open 24 hours?" I asked, looking around.

" Yea but this is usually the time when no one is here. Do you want something to drink?" He asked while he hopped up on the counter.

" Can I make it?" My face lit up.

" Of course." He laughed. I ran around to the other side of the bar.

" Can I just make anything?" I was so excited.

" Sure, go crazy! But just not too much alcohol." He smiled at me.

I examined all of the bottles, determining which ones looked good and smelled good. I took a glass and poured some Sour Apple Pucker and Sprite together. I mixed it with a straw and took a sip. It was a little sour, but pretty good.

" This is really good. Want a sip?" I offered my glass to Eli.

" Alright I guess." He smiled at me as I handed him the glass. He took a sip and made a funny face.

" Do you not like it?" I giggled.

" No I do, its just a little sour." He laughed as he set it down on the counter.

It was 4 o'clock in the morning. Eli and I's shift was over. I kept yawning on the way home and ended up dozing off. I guess Eli thought I was asleep because he picked me up from the car. He carried me into my room and tucked me under the bed spread. The last thing I remember before completely crashing, was Eli pressing his warm lips to my forehead and whispering ' Good night Blue'.

**I hope you guys liked this chapter! There will be more and more Eclare fluff as the story progresses! Thank you for all of the awesome reviews! Please review!**


	5. Best First Date Ever

**MadameDegrassi4587 I just want to say that your reviews make me smile every time I read them :) And thank you to everyone else who reviewed :)**

Clare's POV

Eli and I didn't have work the next day so we both slept in. He must have woken up before me because when I went to make breakfast, there was a plate of eggs and toast already on the counter. I smiled and took the plate. I sat down at the little table in the kitchen and nibbled at the food. Eli came walking in with a piece of paper in his hands.

"What's that?" I asked.

" A grocery list. I made the last of the eggs this morning for you and I. Would you like to go with me?" He smiled.

" Sure." I smiled. I cleaned off my plate and went to get dressed. I threw on a pair of shorts and a tank top. I slipped on a pair of flip flops and ran out the door. I didn't want to take to long. Eli was just reading the news paper.

" Ready?" He folded the newspaper. I nodded my head and giggled.

The grocery store we went to was a decent size. Eli told me stories from when he used to come here with his friends in college and the trouble they used to cause. We went around, pulling loafs of bread of the shelves, picking out good looking apples.

" Hey Blue, you like m&ms right?" Eli asked when we were in the candy isle.

" Yes!" I laughed. He smiled and pulled a huge bag off of a shelf.

" Why are we getting these?" I asked when we were checking out.

" When I was in college, my roommate and I used to take these huge bags of these and make stupid pictures, like if something was bugging us or something funny happened. But I thought since we don't work tonight, we could do that." He smiled.

" That sounds like fun." I smiled back at him. We piled the bags into his car and drove back to his apartment. I helped him put them in the proper places. I took the apples and a big bowl and arranged them like a pyramid. Eli laughed.

After all of the groceries were put away, Eli and I took the huge bag of m+ms and sat down at the table. He cracked open the bag and poured a bunch on the table. Eli was already picking out certain colors and starting to form something but I had no clue. Then I finally had an idea. I quickly grabbed some green ones and some brown ones. A palm tree; I remember a family vacation when I was younger to Hawaii. I took the green and tried to shape them in a palm tree top, but it came out looking a little funny. Then I placed the brown ones in a truck pattern. I looked up from my creation and saw Eli staring at me, smiling.

" What?" I giggled. He shock head and let out a little laugh.

" Well then let me see your picture!"

He moved his hands to reveal the word MOVIE.

" I thought we could go see a movie tonight, after we went to dinner." He looked nervous.

" You mean like a date?" I was getting a little excited. I hope that was what he meant.

" Yea. I mean we don't have to…"

" No, I want to." I cut him off. He got this big grin on his face.

" Do you think you could be ready in a hour?" He asked.

" Yea of course. Do I have to wear something formal or something semi formal?" I asked walking towards my room.

" Nothing too fancy. Jeans and a nice shirt would be fine." He smiled at me before entering in his room. I rummaged threw my closet and pulled out a a teal blue sweater. I slipped it over a white cami. I grabbed a pair of dark skinny jeans and a pair of black stilettos. I didn't think it was too formal so it had to do. I ran into the bathroom and made my hair extra curly. I applied a little bit of eye liner and mascara. Finally, I took one last look in the mirror. Good to go. I slipped out of my room to see Eli leaning against the front door, smiling.

" You look beautiful." He said walking towards me. He wrapped his warm arms around me. I couldn't help but wrap my arms around his waist. Eli and I were becoming closer and closer each day.

The place we went to eat was very nice. There were not too many people. Even though I had already gone out to dinner with Eli twice, I felt really nervous. I really wanted this night to go well. We sat and ate. We both had a salad. Eli paid for dinner and then we left.

" Do you mind if we go home and watch a movie? I think I have the perfect movie at home?" He said as he grinned.

" Thats fine, it just better not be a scary movie!" I laughed.

We drove back to the apartment. It was a little bit more comfortable now that we were back. We both changed into more comfortable clothes; i threw on a long pair of plaid p.'s with a tank top and Eli threw on basketball shorts and a t-shirt. When I came out, Eli was already sitting on the couch with the t.v remote in his hands. He smiled at me as I sat down right next to him. The movie he picked out was the Notebook. I absolutely loved this movie! When the movie started, I felt Eli's arm tentatively wrap around my shoulder. I nuzzled into the side of his body. He was so warm. During the movie, he rubbed small circles and patterns on my shoulders. At about the middle of the movie, I felt bold and reached over to grab his other hand. My hand fit perfectly in his. I rubbed my thumb over his every now and then.

When the movie ended, Eli and I didn't move an inch. I loved being close to him. It was already 12:30 in the morning. We stood up off the couch, still holding hands. Since our rooms were on the opposite sides of the apartment, we stopped in the middle. He brought me close to him, holding on to me tight. We slightly rocked back and forth.

" I had an amazing time tonight." I mumbled against his chest.

" I did too." He gave me a little squeeze.

" It was a perfect first date." I smiled.

" Not yet…" I said, parting our bodies ever so slightly.

" Wha-"

He cut me off. He let go of my hands and gently lifted my face to his. His perfect lips connected with mine. It was pure bliss. The kiss was sweet, slow, and passionate. It was perfect. Our lips moved in sync for what seemed like forever, but was probably on a minute. He pulled away, leaving me breathless. He leaned his forehead against mine. We caught our breaths before parting for our rooms. Before I reached mine I heard Eli say to me,

" Best. First. Date." I giggle. And it truly was the best first date. Ever.

**So I really liked this chapter, mostly the end of it and I hope you guys do too! Review!**


	6. Finally

Clare's POV

Eli and I were currently sitting on the couch, talking and watching t.v. We had work tonight, so we were just lounging around.

" Eli, is there a mall around here?" I asked, turning to face him.

" Yea, why?" He looked at me.

" I just need some stuff." I smiled.

" Okay, I have a question for you." Eli said.

" Okay, shoot." I said, shifting on the couch.

" Would you like to go on another date with me?" He smiled. It had been about a week since our first date.

" I would love to." I smiled. I really enjoyed hanging out with him.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_(Work time)*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Clare's POV

Eli and I sat bored at work. It was 2 in the morning and once again, the bar was completely empty. Every once and a while, some one would come in and get one drink and then leave.

" So you have never had a beer!" Eli looked at me, laughing.

" No, I mean I had a sip but I thought it was really nasty." I crinkled my nose.

" Well, let me tell you, you are missing out." He smiled as he sipped a beer. I had learned how to make some drinks, but I still have a lot to learn.

" So where are we going on our date?" I asked, sipping on my drink.

" Thats for me to know and you to find out." He smirked. I huffed.

" When are we going on this date?"

" Right after this." He smiled.

" What!" I was a little surprised. What could we possibly do at 4 in the morning?

" Don't worry, it will be fun." He smirked and finished off his beer.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_(After Work)*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

" Can I look now?" I asked Eli. He told me that I had to keep my eyes closed in the car.

" Not yet, another 5 minutes." I groaned and I heard him laugh. A few minutes later, I heard his car drive over a gravel path, and then I felt the car stop. The next thing I knew, I felt Eli holding my hand and leading me somewhere. It was very quiet, where ever we where going.

" We are almost there, don't worry." Eli said, giving my hand a squeeze. I blushed. A couple minutes later, Eli let go of my hand and I didn't think he wanted me to move, so I didn't. I stood there, fiddling with my hands, until I felt a warm pair of hands take mine.

" Okay, open." He whispered, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I slowly opened my eyes. Before me, there was a small lake. The moonlight lit a small path in the water. There were barely any trees around, but there were a lot of flowers; daisies, marigolds, sunflowers, lilies, and small rose bushes. It was absolutely breath taking.

"Eli…this is amazing." I was lost for words.

" I thought you would like this. I went here as a little kid. My grandmother took me here a lot, it was like our hide out."

" Its perfect." I smiled, even though he probably couldn't see it.

" The sun rise is amazing from here." He sat down on a blanket he brought, pulling me down with him. Our bodies were close and our fingers were still interlocked. I leaned my head against his shoulder, just enjoying being with Eli. We didn't have to talk, we were just happy being with each other.

" The sun should be rising soon." Eli informed me after an hour. I just nodded. All of a sudden, Eli placed a light kiss against my forehead. I loved this side of Eli; the sweet, caring side.

Soon enough, the sun started to rise. We could see it, peeking over the hill. It was a mixed of dark re, bright orange, and yellow.

" Hey Blue, the reason I brought you out here, was to ask you something." He said, looking at me.

" What is it?"

" Would you do the the honor and be my girlfriend?" He smiled. I wanted so badly to jump up and scream YES, YES! But instead, I decided to be bold. I turned to face him, taking his face in my hands. I pressed my lips to his softly. He didn't waste any time, I felt his lips moving along with mine. The kiss was slow and passionate, like both of us had been wanting to do this for a long time. I pulled away, breathless.

" Of course. I would love to be your girlfriend." I smiled and once again placed my lips to his for a small, but sweet kiss. He pulled me to my feet and brought me into his arms. We held onto each other like we never wanted to let go, and we both know that we never were.

**I am sorry that this chapter is short! I promise to make it up to you, I have some good plans for this story! I would also like to let you guys know that this coming Sunday through next Thursday, I will probably not be updating, I will be away at a camp. But I promise that I will update everyday after that, and those chapters will be longer than this one! Again, I hope you guys liked this chapter, and don't forget to review!**


	7. Parents

**Hey guys! I am so sorry that I didn't update sooner! I have been busy but I promise to try and update atleast 2 times a week! I wanted to make it up to you guys so I tried to make this chapter longer than the rest! Hey you go chapter 7!**

Clare's POV

Eli and I had gone out for lunch today. We have been inseparable, and I loved it. He was so sweet and caring. He wasn't like some guys who are just in relationships for sex, he acts like a gentleman. We were currently cuddled up together on his bed. We did this a lot, we would just lie on his bed, sometimes talking, sometimes not. We were talking about work when we were interrupted by my cell phone. I slowly left his embraced and walked into my phone, picking up my small cell phone and flipped it open.

" Hello?" I asked, walking back to Eli's room, snuggling back up to him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

" CLARE EDWARDS WHERE ON EARTH ARE YOU? " My mother's voice boomed from the tiny phone.

" Mom calm down, I'm fine!" I exclaimed, trying to calm her down. And why did she even care? She kicked me out!

" Where are you? You need to come home right this minute! This is ridiculous!" She screamed again.

" Mom, I am not leaving, I'm happy where I am." When I said this, Eli leaned down and pressed a light kiss on my forehead.

" This is ridiculous Clare! We go over to your apartment, and you are not there! We call Ali, she has no clue where you are!" She just kept yelling and yelling.

" Mom, please hear me out," I said, trying to calm her down, but it didn't seem to be working, " I am not leaving. I am not moving back there, I need to get away."

" What are you talking about? You had a great life!" Right then, I flew over the edge.

" Are you kidding me? You and Dad threw me out of the house! You didn't even care what would happen to me! You told me to go live with John, who cheated on me! And I tried to tell you that but you wouldn't listen to me!" It felt kind of good to rant.

" Clare, this is why we kicked you out! You are so stubborn and hard to even talk to! You yell and scream and we have done nothing but try to help you. This is dumb, now tell me where you are, we are going to get you."

" No mom, you are not. I am so much happier here than I ever was there!" I felt tears prick up in the corners of my eyes. She never treated me like this, why now?

" You know what Clare, have fun where ever you are! Have a good life." She said with a harsh tone and then hung up on me. I couldn't believe this just happened. I slowly shut my phone and placed it on the bed side table. Eli could sense that something was wrong.

" Blue, you okay?" He asked, leaning down to look at me. I shook my head no, letting the tears fall. He pulled me to him, letting me cry into his chest. I sobbed and sobbed. Why was she treating me like this? Eli rubbed circles on my back and whispered things like ' Its going to be okay ' or ' Don't worry, its okay '.

After I calmed down and pulled myself back together, Eli and I continued to lay on his bed.

" We are going somewhere tonight." Eli whispered in my ear.

" We are?"

" Well, I think you could use some cheering up after what just happened." He was so sweet.

" Well thank you." I leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips. He deepened it, our lips moving in harmony. His hands cupped my cheeks as my arms wrapped around his neck. His hands slowly traveled down the side of my body and rested on my hips. I gasped when he gave me a little squeeze, giving him the perfect opportunity to plunge his tongue into my mouth. Eli and I have been dating for seven months and we have made out before but this time was different. Our tongues battled for dominance. I pulled away, breathless. He moved his lips to my neck, leaving a trail of kisses. Every now and then, he would gently suck or nibble on my skin. I let out small moans in my that that were probably loud enough for Eli to hear. I felt his smirk against my skin right before he brought his lips back to mine. After a couple more minutes of kissing, I pulled back abruptly.

" We can finish this later." I said climbing off of the bed. I turned around to smile at him. He just sat there, smirking. I stopped in the door way.

" What should I wear tonight? Fancy or normal?"

" Normal is fine, but not too plain, just a little bit of fancy." He smiled at me. I smiled back as I walked out his bedroom and into mine.

Eli's POV

I wasn't going to tell Clare that we were going out to dinner with my parents. We have been dating for a while and I think it is a perfect time. I know they are going to love her just like I do, I just don't know how to tell her.

I grabbed my black skinny jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt. I threw a grey vest over top. I grabbed a black pair of sneakers and slipped out of my room. I was racking my brain, deciding whether or not to tell Clare I love her. I honestly do love her even though we have only known each other for about a year. We have been taking things slow, not wanting to rush anything. I started pacing back and forth in the kitchen. Just then, Clare came out of her room.

" Wow, you look beautiful." She was wearing a short white sundress with a black strip at the bottom. There were black flowers on the dress. Lace lined the v-neck line on the dress. She added a pair of small hoop earrings and a necklace with a diamond cross. Her hair was extra curly. She really did look amazing.

" Thank you." She blushed as she slipped on a pair of black flats. I reached for the door and interlocked our fingers. Her hand hit perfectly in mine. Tonight, I am going to tell her that I love her.

( Still Eli's POV)

" Eli, where are we going?" Clare giggled after about an hour of driving. Our hands were connected. I rubbed small circles with my thumb on her pale skin.

" I think you have known me long enough to know that I'm not going to tell you." I leaned over a kissed her temple. She let out a small huffed.

" Don't worry, we will be there very soon." I said as we pulled into a small development. My parents still lived in the house I grew up in. We drove to the back of the development. I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. I looked over at her.

" We're here." I stepped out of the car and opened her door. She stepped outside. I took her hand and led her to the door. I opened the door only to be ambushed by my mom.

" Baby boy! I've missed you so much!" She said as she wrapped her arms around me and shook me back and forth. I could hear Clare giggling in the back ground.

" I've missed you too." I said, peeling her off me.

" Mom, this is Clare. My girlfriend." It felt so good to say that.

" Ah so this is the young lady that I have heard so much about." She said as she engulfed Clare in a hug. I smiled at them; I could already tell that this dinner was going to go well.

" Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Goldsworhty." Clare said when my mom let go of her.

" Oh sweetheart, call me Cece." She smiled as she led us into the dining room. She had always been the parent that would throw big dinner parties. The table had a deep blue table cloth with white dishes on top. There was a bowl of corn and green beans. She had a larger bowl of pasta and a plate of chicken.

" Please sit." She motioned to the wooden chairs that surrounded the table. She called for my dad before sitting down. She came and joined us at the table. We chatted for only about a minute when a man came into the room.

" Eli my boy! Who is this?" His raspy voice asked me as he sat down next to Cece.

" This is Clare, Dad, my girlfriend." I said, taking Clare's hand in mine and giving it a light squeeze. She looked over at me and smiled. Mom passed around different bowls of different food.

" So Eli, how did you and Clare meet?" I didn't tell my dad about Clare, only my mom.

" Well one night I was working at the bar and Clare came in and asked for a drink. When it was time for me to leave and so she left to. She was walking down the street and I asked her where she was going and she didn't know so I took her back to my apartment and we just got to know each other." I looked over and smiled, earning a blush from her. My parents looked at each other and smiled. We continued to eat dinner. We caught up; I hadn't seen my parents in over a year.

" Are you guys ready for dessert?" My mom asked, taking some of the dirty dishes off of the table. Clare stood up, taking some dishes in her hands walking towards the kitchen, but my mom shook her head.

" Sweetie, you are a guest, sit down, I can get it." She smiled before taking the dishes from Clare.

My mom came back with small plates of strawberry shortcake. We stayed and finished dessert. Clare thanked my parents for having her over and we headed home. It was a long ride home, but Clare stayed awake with me, saying that she didn't want me to be lonely. I really did love this girl.

We got back to the apartment. Clare and I changed into p.j.s. I was lying on my bed, waiting for her to join me. My heart was racing. I tapped my fingers together, waiting for her. Just then, she walked into my room wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. She smiled as she climbed in next to me.

" Hey." She said placing a light kiss on my lips. I smiled as I deepened the kiss. Our lips were moving together in pure passion. She leaned over and sat on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding on like I never wanted to let go. Her arms latched around my neck, her fingers lightly gripping my hair. I squeezed her hips. She gasped, giving me the perfect opportunity to plunge my tongue against hers. Our tongues danced together. We pulled away minutes later, breathless. I attacked her neck, nibbling on the soft skin beneath my lips. I heard her moan ever so slightly in her throat. I smirked against her neck. She took two fingers and lift my lips back to hers. This time, I flipped us over slowly, being very careful not to put all of my weight on her. We continued to kiss passionately for quiet a while longer. She laid next to me, facing me. She was tracing small circles on my chest with her small fingers. I played with her curls, twirling them with my fingers. She closed her eyes, but still traced tiny circles.

" Clare?" I broke the silence. Here goes nothing. I was going to tell her.

" Hm?" Her blue eyes popped open and looked directly at me. God, now my heart was beating even faster than before.

" I love you." My heart raced, threatening to pound right out of my chest. I looked at her eyes. I waited for her to say something.

" Eli, I love you too." I looked back into those gorgeous blue eyes, checking for anything that could be wrong. Her eyes showed that she truly meant what she said.

" You do?" It was too good to be true.

" Of course I do. You are more than I can ask for." She snuggled against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her tiny body, pulling her closer.

" You don't know how happy I am to hear that." I kissed her forehead before drifting into a deep, peaceful slumber.

**How did you like it? Don't forget to review and if you have any suggestions for a chapter let me know!**


	8. Lucky

**Hey guys. Sorry this was a little late. And just to let you know, there is a tiny tiny bit of lemons towards the end! Here it is! Enjoy!**

Clare's POV

It has been a couple of weeks since Eli told me he loved me. They have been some of the best weeks of my life. We get to spend every night alone, whether we are at work or at home. It was more than I could have asked for in a relationship.

" Clare, baby, wake up." Eli gently shook me. I had taken a nap. We had work tonight and I knew I would be tired. I grumbled and turned over. I had been sleeping( only sleeping ) with Eli since the night he told me he loved me.

I heard Eli huff and lie down next to me. I could feel his warm breath on my face. I could feel his breath becoming warmer and warmer. I opened my eyes only to be met with his green ones. He smirked as he pressed his lips to mine. His perfect lips moved against mine slowly. I tiredly returned the kiss.

" Alright you got me up." I mumbled against his lips. He smiled and gave me one last quick kiss. He rolled over and hopped off the bed.

" How much time do I have?" I asked as I climbed out of the warm covers.

" About a half an hour."

I nodded to myself and walked into my room to grab my uniform. I traipsed into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had a bad case of bed head. I curled my hair and put on a little bit of make up. I walked out into the kitchen where Eli was. He was sitting on the counter eating a sandwich. He pointed to another sandwich on the counter.

" Thank you." I said taking the sandwich in my hands. I leaned up to give his a kiss on the cheek. He grinned and jumped off the counter, grabbing his car keys. I opened the door and let him go out first.

We got to work and like usual, no body was here. Eli and I had a routine that we did when there were nights like this. There was a deck of cards kept behind the counter.

" Hit me." I don't even know what card game we were playing, but Eli did.

" How would you like to go gambling one night when we don't have work?" Eli asked, placing another card down in front of me.

" That sounds like fun, but I have never been gambling before." I said, taking a sip of my water.

" Oh don't worry, you will catch on fast." He smiled at me.

( Still Clare's POV)

" Clare, you ready to gamble?" Eli asked, coming into my room. He was wearing his usual attire; black skinny jeans, a t- shirt, and a vest. I was sitting on my bed, reading a book. I shut the book and set it down on the nightstand. He walked over and sat on the end of the bed. He sat indian style and smirked at me. I crawled over and sat right in front of him. We looked at each other for what seemed like hours until Eli leaned forwards to press his lips to mine. Right before our lips touched, I put my finger up to his mouth.

" We can do plenty of that later. I have to go get ready." I felt bad for rejecting his kiss so I gave his a quick peck before heading to the bathroom. I decided to wear something a little more revealing. I grabbed a low cut tank top. It was a light blue with ruffles. I threw on a pair of dark skinny jeans. I did my make up; not too much eye liner or too much mascara. I walked into my room and saw that Eli was still sitting there, but facing the door. I saw his mouth drop a little as I walked over to grabbed my shoes. I blushed and strapped on the high heels that gave me a couple more inches. Next thing I knew, a pair of arms were wrapped around my waist from behind.

" You look beautiful." He whispered into my ear, making the hairs on my neck stand up.

" You are such a sap." I giggled and turned around to face him. I looped my arms around his neck.

" Only for you." He smiled and lowered his forehead to mine.

" Come on, lets go." I pulled away and led him out the door.

( At the Casino) Clare's POV

" Eli, I have no clue how to do this." I said as we sat down at a blackjack table. There were three other people at the table.

" Just watch me than you can try." He smiled at me and I nodded. I shifted in my seat and watched the dealer deal everyone their cards. Eli's card, the one that was facing up, was a 7. Everybody else at the table had lower numbers.

" Hit me. " The guy to the left of Eli said. The dealer laid down another card. This went on forever. Eli had 15 total and he kept taking his chances.

Eli and I decided to ditch the blackjack and do some slot machines. We each got a couple quarters and sat at the nearest one. I popped the quarter in and pulled the lever. The numbers spun and spun until they came till a stop. I had two 3's and one 8. I got a couple quarters from the machine. Eli was sitting next to me, popping the quarters in the machine. He was luckier than I was. One a couple turns, he got three of the same number. It wasn't the jackpot, but it was still a lot of quarters.

Eli and I left the casino with quiet a bit of quarters. We went to a bank and cashed them in. We had 34 dollars in quarters. On our way home, we grabbed a bite to eat. We stopped at a small diner. We sat down at a table by the window. An older woman came by and took our orders. We both just ordered small salads and pepsi to drink. We ate and make small chit chat. Eli payed for the salads and we left to go home.

By the time we got home, it was about 10:30. I walked into my room and changed. I tossed my clothes in the hamper and grabbed another bra and underwear. The bra was black, trimmed with lace and so were the underwear. I threw on a long pair of pajama pants and a tank top. I tip toed into Eli's room, hoping not to wake him up if he was already asleep. I slowly opened the door. He was lying on the bed, shirtless. I was blushing as I walked over to the bed, sitting down on his lap. I wrapped my arms and nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck. I felt his hands grip my waist.

" I had fun tonight." I mumbled against his neck. He gave my hips a little squeeze.

" I did too. We are going to have to do that again." He pulled away from my body to look at me in the eyes. He smirked as I leaned in to press my lips to his. The kiss started of slow but gained passion. I moved so that I was straddling his waist. I pulled away for a brief second to make sure this was okay. He smiled and nodded slowly. I pressed my lips to his once again. I felt him tugging on hem of my tank top. His warm hands slid up the inside of my shirt, making me shiver. I ran my hands down his chest, stopping at the top of his pants.

" I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but can I take this off?" He asked referring to my tank top. I nodded and he slowly stripped the shirt from my body. I tried to cover myself up a little bit, but Eli stopped me.

" Don't. Your beautiful." I blushed and brought his lips to mine. His hands slip up the sides of my stomach, making the butterflies I already had even worse. He swiftly flipped us over so that I was on the bottom. He propped himself up, trying not to put all of his weight on me. His lips tore from mine. He moved my bra strap and kissed my collar bone. He left soft kisses up and down my neck, occasionally nibbling on the tender skin underneath. I tried to contain the moans in my throat quiet, but it was useless. He sucked on a spot right under my ear and I let out a small moan. I blushed immediately.

" S-sorry." I managed to get out. He looked at my eyes. His eyes were filled with love and a little bit of lust.

" Don't be. I've been trying to contain mine. You have no clue what you are doing to me." He said lowering his lips back to my neck. My hands tangled in his hair, tugging ever so slightly. I sat up a little bit, pushing myself closer to him. His hands brushed lightly over my breasts, making me jump a little. He smirked against my skin. He toyed with the lace; pulling on it a little. He gently massaged my breasts threw my bra. I quickly flipped us back over. He looked surprised. I leaned down to press his lips to mine. He nibbled on my lower lips, making me moan into the kiss. He pushed his tongue against mine. our tongues danced in sync. We both pulled away, completely breathless. I smirked and placed kisses along his bare chest. I moved my lips up to his neck, inhaling his scent. I sucked on his neck, probably enough to leave a hickey. I felt his grip on to my waist. I removed my lips from his neck. I placed sweet, short kisses on his lips. I climbed off of his lap, but nuzzled into the side of his body. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He kissed my temple and then placed a small kiss on my head.

" Eli?" I said, looking up at him.

" Hm, sweetie." He looked down at me.

" I loved what we just did, but I don't want to have sex until I'm married." I hoped that wouldn't scare him away. Eli was the best thing to happen to me in a long time.

" Clare, you know I would never pressure you into anything you didn't want to do. I'm fine with that." Wow, he was amazing.

" Good, I'm glad to hear that. I was hoping that by me not wanting to sleep with you yet, wouldn't scare you away." I pressed up closer to his body.

" Well, I'm here to stay." He said, lowering his lips down to mine.

" Good." I said, kissing him back.

" I love you, Eli. You are the best thing to happen to me since… well a long time." I chuckled, confessing how I truly felt about him.

" Clare, I love you too. I was a mess before you came along, we got me back on track." He said, giving me a short, but passionate kiss before we both fell into deep slumber.

**Hope you guys liked it! Don't forget to review!**


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